


this hurricane's chasing (us all underground).

by redhoods



Category: Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-04
Updated: 2012-02-04
Packaged: 2017-10-30 13:59:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/332497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redhoods/pseuds/redhoods
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tyler still hasn't figured out what's bothering the other male but as he holds out the card over the table, lightning flashes just outside the window, throwing the room into stark contrast, but Tyler isn't focused on that. He's focused on Jeremy's wide eyes and the way it looks like Jeremy isn't breathing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	this hurricane's chasing (us all underground).

At first, Tyler mistakes the sounds for people outside playing basketball or the stereo system in a car, but the sound doesn't let up and doesn't fade out. Really, it just gets louder and faster and then Tyler can pass it off for anything other than the massive storm that they weren't supposed to get for another three days.

He curses and sets the box down back where he had picked it up from. He can finish cleaning the attic when there's not some massive storm going on outside. He listens to the wind rushing by his house, the rain hitting the roof and walls, the thunder rolling, and then his attention is on the banging coming from downstairs.

Weighing the options in his head, Tyler figures there's a door open or a window shutter has come loose and now he has to trek outside in the weather to preserve his insanity, but the blurred shadow at the front door tells him otherwise.

It's not his mother. No, she would stay wherever she was during a storm like this. It briefly occurs to Tyler that it could be a burglar or murderer looking for a victim but he can only snort at his own thoughts the second it reaches the front of his mind. He continues to the door, knowing he could take whoever was on the other side if need be, but he only finds a completely drenched - almost pitiful - looking Jeremy Gilbert.

Tyler isn't sure why, but he steps to the side to let Jeremy in, pushing the door shut behind him. "What are you doing here, Gilbert?" He asks, his voice lacking any of it's usual conviction considering the state of the younger male.

Jeremy's teeth chatter a little when he opens his mouth but he closes it as his entire body shivers once. He opens his mouth once more, "Was jogging and it just let loose out there," he states, arms wrapped tight around himself.

Tyler takes him in then. The tank top and running shorts agree with his statement. He spins on his heel and starts for the stairs, "Well, come on, I'll find you something dry to wear," he states softly with a sigh before stopping part way up the steps. "On second thought, you might want to stay there instead of dripping all over the house."

Jeremy opens his mouth before seeming to think better and it closes as he nods his agreement.

\--

Two towels later, Jeremy is in one of Tyler's shirt that doesn't quite fit in the shoulders along with a pair of sweatpants that don't stay up on his hips but don't reach passed his ankles. They're both in the living room at opposite ends of the couch, watching the weather report on the large tv screen.

Tyler doesn't seem to notice the power flicker but it causes Jeremy to shift restlessly as he looks around, absently fiddling with the end of the t-shirt Tyler had lent to him. He watches the lights flicker once more and then there's a loud pop from some direction that Jeremy can't figure out before all the power cuts out.

"Fuck," Tyler stands up carefully, navigating his way through the living room slowly, wondering when it got so dark outside. He hears Jeremy start to follow after him, shaking his head when the younger male runs into object after object.

He fumbles in the dark through the kitchen, finding the drawer he thinks is right and yanks it open, pulling the large flashlight out and cutting it on, flooding one half of the kitchen with bright white light. He finds the box of matches in the same drawer then, turning to head back to the living room, nearly jumping when he finds Jeremy watching him in the doorway. "Jesus, Gilbert, you could make some noise next time."

Jeremy only nods, the movement slightly jerky and Tyler only then notices how quite the younger male has been.

"You alright?" Tyler asks, lifting an eyebrow as he leads the other teen into the living room, setting the flashlight down on the coffee table so it shines up, tossing light and shadows all over the room as he sets about, lighting the dozen or so candles his mother keeps in the room.

"Mhmmm," Jeremy isn't looking at him and is worrying his lip between his teeth and it makes Tyler even more curious about his strange actions.

Tyler nods though and doesn't question it as he drops himself back onto the couch with a heavy sigh. "There's not much to do around here without power."

The younger teen sits himself on the end of the couch by Tyler's feet, pulling his knees up to his chest. Tyler's never seen Jeremy look younger. "Do you have cards?"

Tyler tilts his head, brown eyes watching the other male carefully before he shrugs. "I'm sure we've got some somewhere around here."

\--

"Go fish," Tyler shrugs and pulls a card off the top of the deck, sitting back against the base of the couch once more as he watches Jeremy sort through his cards. They've been playing this for hours now and the large grandfather clock in the other room has only just chimed five. The rain outside has given no signs of letting up though.

"Got a four?" Jeremy still hasn't been saying too much, but there's a small smile on his lips. Tyler still hasn't figured out what's bothering the other male but as he holds out the card over the table, lightning flashes just outside the window, throwing the room into stark contrast, but Tyler isn't focused on that. He's focused on Jeremy's wide eyes and the way it looks like Jeremy isn't breathing.

"Jeremy?" He tries softly, wondering if the other male is afraid of storms.

Jeremy blinks a few times before he takes the card, releasing a deep breath. "I'm fine," he states softly and Tyler frowns, looking back down at his cards.

\--

They decide to search out food sometime after six when they've completely exhausted the card game and neither one of them can focus on anything except for their growling stomachs. Tyler makes himself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich while Jeremy holds the flashlight and they switch tasks and Jeremy makes himself a peanut butter sandwich while quietly informing Tyler that he's allergic to grapes and thus the only jelly that Tyler could unearth in the kitchen.

Jeremy sits in one of the stools at the island and Tyler sits on the island itself and they drink the milk before it can go bad while eating sandwiches. 

"You remember the hurricane that went through when we were in elementary school?"

Tyler turns some on the island so he's facing more towards Jeremy and nods slowly, "Yeah, I think I was in fifth grade for that," he murmurs. He really only remembers having to sit in the hallway and listen to hail hit the roof of the school.

Jeremy finishes the last bite of his sandwich and then his glass of milk before he seems to consider continuing on. "I was in third grade and had been in gym class when the warning went out," he furrows his eyebrows and Tyler remembers hearing the teachers chattering about a class that had been outside.

"We had been outside so we hadn't known until it started raining, kind of like it did today. Just sudden and hard," he talks slowly, seeming to choose his words, stopping to lick his lips on occasion and Tyler has to look away to keep his focus.

Jeremy shifts and leans forwards some, bracing his elbows on the counter, watching out the glass doors on the opposite side of the kitchen. "The thunder and lightning followed shortly there after and we all made a beeline for the gym," he sighs softly, "But that wasn't until after lightning struck one of the trees in the field."

Tyler opens his mouth to say something but closes it back and swallows. "You're afraid?"

Jeremy shrugs his shoulders though Tyler doesn't see it. "I guess," he mumbles softly, like he's embarrassed and Tyler turns his head just in time to see red flood Jeremy's cheeks.

"S'okay, I'm still terrified of clowns," Tyler murmurs and can't help a small smile when Jeremy seems to brighten up with his admission.

\--

It's going on nine o'clock and the rain still hasn't let up. In fact, Tyler's pretty sure it's gotten worse. They're both slumped back on Tyler's bed side by side, Tyler's laptop sitting on their thighs, some action movie blaring through the iPod speakers they had plugged into it.

Tyler's pretty sure that Jeremy is out cold, the younger male's head leaning on his shoulder. That or he's the quietest person Tyler's ever watched a movie with. He hasn't been paying any attention to the movie since Jeremy's head hit his shoulder.

At first, he wanted to ask Jeremy what the hell he was doing but then lightning flashed outside his window and he couldn't find it in himself to be mean, especially after Jeremy jumped slightly.

He stares a hole in the top of Jeremy's head, now almost completely positive that Jeremy is asleep so he shifts a fraction down on the bed, careful not to upset the laptop as he does, managing to slide an arm around Jeremy's shoulders. He tells himself it's just because it was squished between them, but he knows better.

\--

Tyler is the first to wake in the morning or, at least, he's pretty sure he is. The laptop is off on the bedside table, but he doesn't pay that any mind. Especially not with Jeremy curled up against his chest sleeping. He doesn't remember pulling the blankets up and wonders vaguely if Jeremy woke up sometime in the night and pulled them up.

It's still coming down hard outside and it causes Tyler to sigh softly, inadvertently causing Jeremy to stir. Tyler doesn't say anything as he watched Jeremy stretch and yawn, wondering if the other male always looked so good when he woke up, but stamps the thought down as quickly as it surfaces.

"Mornin'" Jeremy's voice is groggy and scratchy as he pushes his fingers through his hair, sitting up and looking around the room. Tyler wonders if he wakes up in random people's beds often enough to be this comfortable with himself.

\--

It's noon and there's still no power and still no sign of the rain letting up so Jeremy and Tyler sit at the dining room table with the flashlight off but candles all over, drawing on various pieces of paper and across pieces of paper.

"Here," Jeremy mumbles and passes a paper that he had been drawing on to Tyler, waiting for Tyler to lift his pencil to tug the paper from him. They trade back after a few minutes and continue the process until there's several finished or nearly finished sketches and drawings littering the table.

\--

Tyler tries to call his mom at three but there's still no reception and no sign of reprieve from the rain.

\--

At five, they're sprawled on the floor of the living room, trying to build card towers and laughing their asses off when they topple over on top of each other. Tyler reaches out and pokes the tower that Jeremy's got built up over their heads, smirking lightly at the pout Jeremy gives.

Unable to stop himself, he leans over the pile of cards and presses his lips to Jeremy's. They kiss, soft and slow and Tyler is pretty sure his chest is going to explode from an overload of something he can't name.

\--

When six rolls around, they're laying on top of the cards, shoulders touching. Jeremy has their hands up in the air, twined together, his free hand tracing over the back of Tyler's hand, tracing the knuckles and veins and then the power clicks on.

They don't move though.

\--

They can't ignore their stomachs once it gets to seven and wander into the kitchen, brushing against each other lightly as they do.

Jeremy stretches himself over Tyler's back as he reaches up to the top cabinet to fetch some ingredient and proceeds to not-so-gently shove Tyler out of his way, determined in his quest for things to make something that he won't tell Tyler what it is.

Tyler sits on the island, watching Jeremy work and occasionally asking questions or helping when Jeremy asks.

He learns that Jeremy is allergic to a variety of things, most importantly grape and sea food. He also learns that Jeremy wants to start running track again - he hadn't even known that Jeremy had ever run track.

Jeremy takes a break every so often, turning to rest his hand on Tyler's thigh and kiss him softly. Tyler hates the way Jeremy looks at him though. His brain alternates between ideas that Jeremy can see into his soul or that Jeremy is trying to memorize him like he's going to disappear.

He chooses the second because he knows the kind of luck the other male has had with people lately.

\--

Tyler still can't get over the alfredo Jeremy made and it's been three hours since they ate. They're crashed on his bed again Jeremy curled up to his side and the laptop on his abdomen, some comedy or another playing, but neither are paying attention.

Jeremy's kisses aren't what Tyler would have ever expected from the other male. He always expected frenzy and aggression, but Jeremy's kisses are just slow and drugging and Tyler can't keep himself away.

\--

Tyler wakes up first again the next day, Jeremy still warm against his side, an arm heavy across his middle and their legs intertwined.

He turns his head some to peer at his window to find rain once more, but he doesn't hear thunder and doesn't see lightning.

He hopes Jeremy stays anyways.


End file.
